One of the most basic tenets of yoga philosophy says, "Now the teachings of yoga begin."
Which means yoga is immediate. In this moment. Right now.
And now.
And still now.
If you already have easy access to the Now, undistracted by thoughts of the past or of the future, or by thoughts of attachment or aversion, good or bad, right or wrong, then you're the quintessential example of what yoga is.
If you're not living freely in the now, well, one thing I know for sure is that fancy yoga pants aren't going to get you there.
Another thing I know is that it might sound hypocritical to be driven by both an aversion to what is happening to yoga as well as an attachment to what yoga is at its core. But it's a risk I'll take because a movement is needed and someone needs to start it.
Here's why: Yoga is barely recognizable anymore. A deeply spiritual practice has become about expensive yoga gear, catchy marketing phrases, Instagram accounts, and celebrity teachers. A personal practice aimed to bring clarity to the practitioner is being served up alongside beer kegs at giant yoga-themed festivals. A yoga philosophy that has the profound power to heal through its teachings of kindness, honesty, and integrity has been eclipsed by modern society's obsession with image and appearance. Yoga selfies are everywhere on social media--from the model types posing on the beach in Brazilian bikinis to photos of peaceful-seeming people seated in meditation. One can't help but wonder if the meditator got up and checked the photo, only to reposition himself multiple times to get the perfect shot. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain I know the answer.
So if yoga isn't about posing, then what is it? Well, the word "yoga" is derived from the root word "yuj," which means "to yoke" or "to join." Back in the day, to yoke (an ox and a cart is a commonly used example) was to bring two things together so they could function. A cart was useless without an ox to pull it, and an ox was unable to work without a cart to pull. By yoking these two things together, they could function as a whole unit. This translates over to the practice of yoga because when we reunite our human experience with our pure awareness, or our higher consciousness, we also start to function as a whole being. Yet somewhere along the way, modern yoga has become a contradiction of its ancient roots. Something that had little to do with external appearance and everything to do with internal experience has been completely flipped. The ancient philosophy and teachings have been set aside, while fitness and flexibility have become the primary focus. Yes, yoga poses are great for balance, health, and longevity, but more importantly, yoga poses are the vehicles that help deliver us to the moment. They can reveal what happens when we breathe deeply and quiet our minds. They train us to pay attention. However, if we practice yoga postures without awareness, without conscious breathing, without attention, we are simply making shapes. And if our awareness is invested in whether or not we look good in the poses, then the practice approaches the line of narcissism. In many instances, it has jumped in with both feet.
If yoga is about detaching from the selfish desires of the ego, and narcissism is about the indulgence of the ego, then I think we've found a major contradiction at the center of the current yoga paradigm.
So, what do we do?
We get back to the heart of the practice. To its authentic roots. To the soul.
And we do it by starting a revolution.
info@yogarevolutionaries.com
Photo Credits: Christen Vidanovic--photographer + Kate Baldwin--model